The present invention relates to a method for detecting a smart key around a vehicle, and more particularly, to a method for detecting a smart key around a vehicle, which sequentially performs a search operation and an authentication operation for a smart key existing around a vehicle using different messages.
In general, a smart key is a device through which a driver unlocks a vehicle door to start an engine or open a trunk or tail gate, without using a physical key or remote control device.
Recently, with the increase in quality of vehicles, the use of a smart key has increased. Thus, a smart key unit is mounted on a vehicle so as to search and authenticate a smart key around the vehicle, thereby performing a specific operation.
The smart key unit periodically emits a signal. When a response signal to the emitted signal is received from a smart key around the vehicle, the smart key unit authenticates the smart key so as to perform a specific operation.
However, the signal emitted from the conventional smart key unit includes encryption information for authenticating the smart key. Thus, the smart key unit may consume a large amount of power to search and authenticate the smart key.
That is, even when no smart keys exist around the vehicle, the smart key unit continuously emits a signal to search the smart key. Since the smart key unit must repetitively emit a large-volume message containing encryption information, power consumption inevitably increases, and interference with other vehicles positioned around the vehicle also increases.
The related art of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 10-2010-0029988 published on Mar. 18, 2010 and entitled “Detecting Apparatus of Smart Key in Passive Keyless Entry System”.